Water game retriever



atent Ofiice 2,857,702 Patented Get. 28, 1958 WATER GAME RETRIEVER Donald D. Erdman, Kodiak, Territory of Alaska Application August 13, 1957, Serial No. 677,927

3 Claims. (Cl. 43-1) This invention relates to water game retrieving devices.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a water game retrieving device for recovering water game, birds or other material on the surface of water.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a water game retriever of the above type which will offer a minimum of wind resistance for use on the surface of water.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a water game retrieving device bearing the above objects in mind which is of simple construction, has a minimum number of parts, is inexpensive to manufacture and eflicient in use.

For other objects and for a better understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a top plan view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the complementary halves of the device.

Referring now more in detail to the drawing, and 11 represent a pair of side members or floats of a material having a specific gravity less than water, substantially as illustrated.

The float 10 at the rear end thereof is integrally formed with the transverse rectangular portion 12, the bottom of the transverse portion 12 lying in the same plane as the bottom of the side member 10. However, the top of the transverse member 12 extends upwardly to only one-half the height of the side member 10. The transverse member 10 is provided with a central longitudinally extending vertical slot 13 therethrough and along the opposite vertical sides thereof is provided with the laterally aligned, vertical slots 14.

The side member or float 11 at the rear end thereof is similarly integrally formed with a transverse member 15 and identical in size and shape with the transverse member 12 and adapted to overlie the same, as shown in Fig. 2, the transverse member 15 being provided with the longitudinally extending vertical slots 16 which are aligned vertically with the slot 13 and being provided along the opposite vertical faces the laterally aligned vertical slots 17 which are adapted to be aligned with the vertical slots 14 in a manner which will hereinafter become clear. The overlying transverse members 12 and 15 are retained in alignment with each other in a slidable manner by the positioning within the grooves or slots 13 and 16 of the bolt and wing nut assemblies 18, as will be obvious, a washer 19 being provided intermediate each of the wing nuts and the undersurface of the transverse member 12 (Fig. 3). The side members 10 and 11 are adjusted laterally relative to each other to any desired relationship, whereupon the members 12 and 15 are locked relative to each other by the tie cord 20 which engages corresponding slots 14 and '17, as shown in Fig. 1. h

A pair of oppositely disposed, "complementary right triangular wire prongs 21 and 22 are secured to the side members or floats 10 and 11 at the top thereof in suitable manner, their apexes extending towards each other and being slightly spaced apart and having their inner sides aligned laterally as shown in Fig; l. f V v A second pair of oppositely disposed 'rjight triangular wire prongs 23 and 24 are secured to the side members 10 and 11 at the bottoms thereof, the prongs 23 and 24 being aligned laterally with 'each other and having their apexes laterally spaced apart with their outer sides aligned laterally to retain the game "therebetw'e'en, hereinafter explained. it will be noted that the hypotenuse portion of the prongs 21 and 23 intersect each other in a plane view, as do the hypotenuse of'th'e prongs 2-2 and 24. y The wire prongs 21-, 22, 2'3 and 24 eachformnear their apexes the loops 25, 26, 27 and 28.

A pair of 1 screws 29 and 30 are secured to the rot ward ends of the side portions 14) and 11 on the outer faces thereof intermediate their upper and lower surfaces and serve to secure the opposite ends of a bow line 31 which branches out into the additional lines 34, 35, "3 6, 37, for connection to the wire members 21, 22, 23, '24,

the central portion of the bow line 31'being' connected to the reel line 32 by means of the lo op 33. I

Lines 34 and 35 connect the I screw '29 with the loops as and 26 while the lines 36 and 37 connect the I screw 30 With the loops 27 and 28. It will be noted that the lines 34, 35, 36 and 37 extend upwardly'or downwardly along the outer faces of the sides 10 and 11 from the I screws 29 and 30.

As shown in Fig. -1, the wire prong 21and more par ticularly the inner side thereof ex-t'ends downwardly across the outer face of the sidemember 10 and then upwardly therethrough through the opening 38 where it extends outwardly across the top of the member 10 and downwardly thereunder and is integrally connected thereat to the pnong 23, the other end of which extends upwardly through the side member 10 to the opening 39 and is then embedded in the opening 40. The other end of the prong 21 is similarly mounted in the top of the side member 10, and the prongs 22 and 24 are similarly connected together and mounted.

A pair of three-sided rectangular wire retaining members 41 and 42 are mounted above and below each of the transverse members 12 and 15 withtheir central portions extending forwardly thereof, Fig. l. The uppermost of the wire retainers 41 is vertically spaced above the top of the member 12 to provide clearance for the member 15, while the lowermost wire retainer 42 of the member 15 is vertically spaced therebelow to provide clearance for the member 12; thus, when the parts are in assembled relationship, there will be two upper and two lower wire retainers 41 and 42. The wire retainers 41 and 42 may be formed from a unitary length of wire which is threaded through the openings 43 provided in the block in the manner shown in Fig. 3. Thus, as the parts 12 and 15 are moved laterally to adjust the width of the device, the retainers 41 and 42 will move therewith.

In operation, the bow line 31 is secured to the reel line 32 and is cast underhand beyond the game or article to be retrieved. The device is reeled in so that the game or material passes under the yoke line 31 and enters the mouth of the retriever, being engaged between the triangular prongs 21, 22, 23 and 24, the'retaining wires 41 and 42 and the three-sided body section until drawn or reeled ashore.

The device may be made of suitable material, such as wood, plastic and will be half submerged, as shown in Fig. 3.

The apexes of the prongs 21 and 23 and the prongs 22 and 24 may be drawn together by means of the cord loop 44 when the device. is being carried. When the device is in operative use, the securing line 44 is slid towards the side. members and 11 and wrapped therearound, as will be obvious. This is shown in Fig. 1.

I While various changes may be made in the detailed construction, it shall (be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A water game retriever comprising a U-shaped float having a rear central portion and a pair of laterally spaced side portions and being open at the forward end, a pair of substantially triangular wire prongs secured to the tops of said side portions and having their apexes extending towards each other, a second pair of substantially triangular prongs secured to the bottom sides of said side members and having their apexes extending towards each other, said first and second wire prongs being out of vertical alignment with each other, a plurality of three-sided rectangular wire retainers secured to the top and bottom portions of said central member and having central portions extending parallel thereto and forwardly spaced therefrom and adapted to cooperate withtbe prongs in securing the game therebetween, a plurality of lines connecting the apexes of said Wire prongs with the forward ends of said side members, and means for connecting the forward ends of said side members to a reel line for drawing in the device after the game has been retrieved, said U-shaped float being formed of complementary halves having overlapping central portions adapted to be slidably separated, said overlapping central portions having vertically aligned, longitudinally extending grooves therethrough, bolt means positioned within said grooves for retaining said central portions in vertical alignment with each other, said overlapping central portions in vertical alignment with each other, said overlapping central portions on their front and rear vertical faces having longitudinally spaced grooves adapted to be aligned with each other at various settings or positions, and securing means positioned within said grooves for locking the overlapping central portions in adjusted relationship, a pair of said three-sided rectangular wire retainers being provided for each of said central overlapping portions in vertical alignment with each other, the uppermost wire retainer of the lowermost overlapping central portion being vertically spaced above the top thereof to provide clearance for the other overlapping member, the lowermost wire retainer of the other overlapping central member being vertically spaced below the bottom thereof to provide clearance for said first overlapping central portion and to permit said wire retainers to expand with the device.

2. A water game retriever according to claim 1, said side members being disposed at an obtuse angle to said overlapping central portions and extending away from each other forwardly, said wire prongs being substantially right triangular in configuration, the uppermost of said prongs having their rear sides aligned laterally, the lowermost of said wire prongs having their forward sides aligned laterally, the hypotenuse portions of said prongs on opposite sides intersecting each other.

3. A water game retriever according to claim I, said means for securing the forward end of the side portions to the reel line comprising the yoke line, I screws at opposite sides of the forward portions of said side members securing the ends of said yoke line, and a loop secured to the central portion of said yoke line and having secured thereto the reel line, said lines being connected at their forward ends to the I screws and extending upwardly and downwardly along the outer faces of said side members, said prongs near their apexes being formed with forward loops engaging the other ends of said lines.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

